Alabama Football: Mid-Season Observations and What You May Not Know About Bama

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer)

In no particular order, let me just throw out some observations and commentary and some things I've seen so far this season.

It's fun to be on the sidelines at the end of game and see Dont'a Hightower doing a little dance and enjoying himself in the closing minutes of a game. It reminds me of something that was missing from last year's team: plain old simple joy and fun.

Seeing players with their arms on each other's shoulders and exchanging hugs in the final minutes is another thing you didn't see so much last season. They enjoy winning and sharing it with each other. This team is closely knit and full of love and respect for one another.

First-stringers jump and hoot when their subs are in the game and make a play. They're usually the first to chest bump them when they come back to the sidelines. Nobody's job is sacred on this team, and they pull for one another down the line for the most part.

This team has solid leaders who are finally comfortable in that role. While that was true on offense last year, it was not so much on defense, but that has changed.

Barron is clearly not only enjoying his role as leader of the defensive backs, but he is good at it too, knowing just what to say after good plays and bad. The same can be said of Hightower, who's finally back at 100 percent and finally comfortable being a leader.

Though he still throw tirades on the sideline in the heat of the moment, Saban seems much more relaxed and even pleasant in press conferences. He's even smiled a few times.

The defense has been tested by a good offense so far and has proven it can take the heat, but the offense has not really played a team close to what LSU is going to throw at them and won't until they play them. This is a team that's never been down by more than seven points all season, and it's unsure how they'd react to having to play comeback.

I can always tell how focused a team is before a game by how seriously they take warm-up drills. This team was focused even for the North Texas game and took the warm-ups seriously.

I've asked players if there was any game they had circled, since I had seen the posters alluding to last year's meltdown loss against Auburn and the slogan, "Never Again."

But the answer from almost everyone was the same, and it was usually something like, "The next game is the most important. We've got them all circled."

A.J. McCarron said that last year they had some problems staying focused all the time, staying 100 percent willing to pay the price in the offseason and in practices, but this year's team is serious about taking each game as the most important one they'll play all year and staying focused.

This year I've heard more players say the words, "Whatever it takes" than I have in the last four seasons combined. When you ask them if they mind being moved to another position or having to be a substitute over a starter, you usually hear, "I'll do whatever it takes to help this team."

That gives you goosebumps.

It's like asking Trent Richardson if he has pressure on himself being a Heisman candidate. His answer to me?

"The only pressure I have on me is to get better every day, do my best and help this team. The Heisman is really a team trophy and I'm much more focused on helping the team than winning that award," Richardson answered.

That makes you proud to be a fan of Richardson as well as Alabama.